Brothers jailed for 50 years for ‘depraved and vile abuse’

Two Derry brothers guilty of a raft of extreme sexual assaults on children have been sentenced to over 20 years in jail each.

The pair, who cannot be named to protect the identity of their victims, were sentenced at Coleraine Crown Court today. All three of their victims were family members - their sister as well as one of the men’s son and daughter.

Crown court Judge QC Gordon Kerr handed a 28 year sentence to one of the brothers - the father of two of the victims - and a 23 year sentence to the other.

Judge Kerr described the “level of depraved behaviour” in the case as “almost unprecedented.”

The court heard details of the horrific acts of cruelty, violence and sexual assaults carried out by the men, who are both in their 50s.

Coleraine Crown Court today heard how the men had begun their campaign of abuse against their sister when they were aged just 14 and nine years. Amongst other details too distressing to report, the court also heard how they had taken turns to rape one of the men’s daughter.

Judge Kerr described the actions as “thoroughly vile abuse” and added that “for a father to abuse his children is appalling and cannot be tolerated in society.”

He said that the “level of depraved behaviour is almost unprecedented.” The QC also said: “You would have thought that couldn’t be exceeded but he got his brother to join in cruelty and depravity.”